Adobe launches Flash Player 11.1, its final mobile browser plug-in for Android smartphones and tablets. The build features support for Google's "Ice Cream Sandwich" platform.

Flash Player 11.1 for Android smartphones and tablets is
the final mobile browser Flash plug-in, and it includes enhancements and bug fixes related to stability, performance and device compatibility. The plug-in will be followed this week with an
AIR 3.1.

AIR 3.1 aims to help developers bring apps powered by Flash to Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone, iPad, Android
phones and tablets, BlackBerry PlayBook, Barnes & Noble's (NASDAQ:BNBN) Nook
Tablet, and Amazon's (NASDAQ:AMZN) Kindle Fire. Both updates will be
available on the Android Market.
"As we've mentioned before, we're focusing on
enabling amazing Flash based experiences via apps on phones and tablets, and
this release will be the last major version of the mobile browser plug-in,"
said Tom Nguyen, senior product manager for Flash runtime, in a blog post.
"The most stunning, innovative content and games for
mobile devices are delivered and consumed through apps. The most impactful,
engaging experiences on the desktop are delivered through the browser. With
Flash Player for desktop and AIR apps for mobile, Flash allows you to craft and
deliver beautiful experiences for both."

The final Flash launch fulfills a promise
Adobe made last month when it announced it was winding down mobile Flash support for a gradual evolution to HTML5, which is now universally supported on major mobile
devices.
HTML5 is the best solution for creating and deploying content
in the browser across mobile platforms, Adobe said.
Adobe told eWEEK in November that it would release one more
mobile Flash Player iteration that would support Android 4.0, as well as one
last Flash Linux Porting Kit. Going forward, Adobe will provide critical bug
fixes and security updates.
Google, which has been tuning its own applications for
HTML5, is supportive of the move. The company has been retooling core applications,
such as Google Docs, Gmail and Calendars, around HTML5 for the last two years.
Google is also experimenting with some of the prettier,
eye-candy elements of HTML5 for its Chrome Web browser. Indeed, Chrome
Experiments is a showcase for creative Web experiments, most of which are built
with the HTML5 and other newfangled technologies of its ilk.